Former patient pleads guilty but mentally ill in stabbing at mental health facility

By Steve Pope | October 11, 2018

The man police charged with stabbing five people inside a Homestead mental health facility in 2016 pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the charges on Thursday.

On Nov. 10, 2016, police responded to the Turtle Creek Valley Mental Health Facility in Homestead for a report of a man armed with a knife and gun that had allegedly taken hostages.

Officers from the Homestead Police and neighboring  departments responded and found the now 40-year-old Dustin Johnson, of Pittsburgh, on the 5th floor of the facility, hiding in a corner armed with a knife and handgun, according to a criminal complaint.

Prior to the police arriving on the scene, Johnson was able to stab five people, two were current patients and three were employees. Most of the stab wounds were to the victims’ face and head. One person was seriously wounded, but all five survived.

Local police attempted to negotiate with Johnson and also requested the assistance of the Allegheny County Police SWAT team. At one point Johnson dropped the knife he was holding, but became agitated when SWAT officers arrived.

Johnson was shot when he pointed his handgun at police. Police recovered four knives  next to where Johnson was standing and the handgun he had turned out to be  CO2 air pistol that had the orange tip removed, the complaint said.

Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5.

Steve Pope can be contacted at steve.pope@grantstreetnews.com